Riga, 23 January 2015 – The Cabinet of Ministers issued an order about humanitarian aid for Ukraine. The basis of this decision is the letter received from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department director–general Klaus Sorensen with the appeal to give humanitarian assistance for Ukraine.

Intensive attacks in the eastern Ukraine, including the deadly attacks in Mariupol have caused 5,000 casualties since the beginning of the conflict. Humanitarian needs are also increasing; over 900,000 IDPs and 600,000 refugees to neighbouring countries, mainly to Russia have been reported.

Global forced displacement tops 50 million for first time in post-World War II era

A report released today by UNHCR shows that the number of refugees, asylum-seekers, and internally displaced people worldwide has, for the first time in the post-World War II era, exceeded 50 million people.

17/05/2014 - The European Union is providing coordinated assistance through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism which has been activated upon the request of Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina due to the severe flooding in the two countries. In less than a day and a half following the request, a total of 14 EU Member States offered assistance.

Today, on 25 February, the first shipment of humanitarian aid from Latvia – medical supplies and equipment – will be delivered to Kyiv. In cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia, the delivery will be forwarded to the Ukrainian Red Cross Society for the purpose of providing assistance to those who have been injured in the clashes in Kyiv.

Natural disasters, including drought, earthquakes, floods, and wildfires, as well as ongoing complex emergencies and limited government capacity in the region, present significant challenges to vulnerable populations in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia (EMCA). Between FY 2004 and FY 2013, USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) and USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) provided assistance in response to a range of disasters, including floods, wildfires, winter emergencies, and complex crises.

The economic crisis in Europe continues to hit headlines. According to the last EU figures, 43.6
million of EU citizens find difficulties in accessing food on a daily basis, and trends show that the need
for food assistance is likely to increase in the near future.

Over 26 millions of people were unemployed across the EU in April 2013, by 1.7 million more than in
April 2012. Youth unemployment figures are particularly alarming, with peaks of 56 per cent in Spain
and 62.5 per cent in Greece.

After unusually mild weather in December 2011 and early January 2012 almost all over Europe, the weather situation changed abruptly in the middle of January. An incursion of cold polar air, coming from northern Russia at the south flank of an extensive high pressure area brought extremely low temperatures over large parts of Europe and also some considerable snowfall especially over various parts of the continent.

WARSAW — A cold snap kept Europe in its icy grip Thursday, pushing the death toll to 163 as countries from Ukraine to Italy struggled with temperatures that plunged to record lows in some places.

Entire villages were cut off in parts of eastern Europe, trapping thousands, while road, air and rail links were severed and gas consumption shot up during what has been the severest winter in decades in some regions.

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